The Tales of Alice and Boris
by Utdragongirl
Summary: This is the tale of Alice and Boris, as the title says, from the manga Alice in the Country of Hearts (or a.k.a. Hāto no Kuni no Arisu). This occurs after she stays in Wonderland, but I didn't like Blood, so I had her fall in love with Boris instead. However, Madson (Blood) seems to cause trouble anyway. *Featured on Wattpad WARNING! I changed Blood's name to Madson just because
1. Chapter 1

"Aliiice!" Boris called, hiding the bouquet of roses behind his back. He brushed his purple hair out of his eyes as stood before Julius's door, where Alice was staying, to take her around the town again. They had been dating for nearly a year now, so Boris was starting to run out of ideas of things to do. He waited on the doorstep, still wondering what he was going to do.

"Coming!" Alice shouted as Boris heard frantic footsteps from inside. He smiled as Julius opened the door, obviously thinking that Boris could just walk in as everyone else did. Alice rolled her eyes as she stepped back into her room to put in her earrings. Boris sat down at the dinner table, which was in front of Julius's desk. Alice decided that she might as well eat with him, even if it was during his work. Julius was the country's clockmaker, but he differed from the other watch repair men. In Wonderland, clocks had replaced hearts centuries ago. Once someone died, only the clock is left, and once it is repaired by the clockmaker, a new person is born.

"Alice are you almost ready? You're starting to interfere with my work," Julius complained as he adjusted his reading glasses. Alice walked back into the room with her new blue dress that she had bought a week ago. Even though Boris had seen it twice already, he still awed at her beauty.

"Are you sure that I should go out tonight? If you have that much work, shouldn't I stay to help?" Alice asked, always worried about the cynical clockmaker. Julius looked up from his clocks, his long, dark hair falling in his face. Boris's cat like ears twitched, sensing the clock man's irritation.

"Go have fun. I was able to manage by myself before you came," he hinted darkly. Alice frowned as Boris presented the flowers, hoping to brighten her mood. Alice gasped as she saw the beautiful, multi-colored roses.

"For you, my love," Boris whispered, handing the bouquet to Alice, who gladly accepted them. Julius ignored the scene in front of him, almost worried for Alice. Boris was the sly Cheshire Cat, thus, he was full of tricks. It was needless to say that the clockmaker didn't trust him. However, Alice knew that she could trust him with all her heart.

"They're beautiful," Alice breathed, sniffing the majestic aroma of the roses. Boris grinned and held out his arm for her.

"Shall we go, then?" he inquired with a kind smile. Alice grabbed his arm after she placed the flowers into a nearby vase she had gotten to liven up the room. Alice quickly said her goodbyes to Julius, who only replied with a disinterested wave, as they left for their date.

They talked through the forest, laughing at their inside jokes and telling intriguing stories of their lives. It wasn't long before they took a wrong turn toward the Hatter's Mansion. Madson Hatter had been the leader of the Heart Mafia for years, and he knew how to be dangerous. Rumors had spread of his intense feelings for Alice, but she never paid any mind to them. She thought he just needed someone to tease and torture, and she was the reasonable choice.

"Lady!" The teen twin gatekeepers shrieked, thrusting the couple back into reality. The Bloody Twins, as they were nicknamed by their hobbies, were a part of the Hatter Mafia Family and were equally dangerous to the Hatter himself. Boris panicked when he caught a glimpse of the advancing twins and jumped in front of Alice on all fours.

"Boris?" The first twin, Dee, stopped and pondered, wondering what he was doing. The other twins, Dum, tilted her head, also curious toward Boris's strange reaction. The cat stood up again and brushed himself off. The Bloody Twins continued their advancement and tackled Alice, causing a deep growl to grow in his throat.

"Are you guys slacking off again?" Elliot exclaimed as he approached with the infamous Madson Hatter. Elliot March was the Hatter's right hand man and nearly did everything that the Hatter told him to do. Madson smirked at Alice as Elliot turned to deal with the twins. Boris's cat eyes narrowed at the Hatter's approach.

"How you tamed the twins, I'll never know," Madson whispered as he kissed Alice's hand. She rapidly pulled it away from his lips and returned to Boris's side.

"I haven't tamed anyone," Alice hissed. Even if she thought Madson was only teasing her, she didn't like it anymore than Boris did. The Hatter smirked again as he raised an eyebrow. "Anyway, we need to be going."

"Really?" Madson inquired skeptically as he leaned on a decorative cane.

"Yes. Boris is taking me out tonight, and I think it was about time we left," Alice growled as she grabbed Boris's arm again. The cat smiled, feeling victorious over the Hatter. Madson stepped away, his expression darkening. As the Bloody Twins ran back to the gate, Elliot turned to see Madson and got the chills from the horrid stare. Madson didn't usually take kindly to rudeness, but he made an exception for Alice.

"Then get going," the Hatter commanded as Boris led Alice far away to the town beneath the castle. Alice remained quiet, clearly upset about Madson's remarks. Boris knew how she usually dealt with the Hatter, and it never was pleasant.

Once they arrived, Boris brought Alice into a nice little restaurant by the town square. Alice rose from her silent depression and was astonished that Boris could afford such a nice place. Boris had the waiter lead them to their seats and handed them menus. Alice was ecstatic that he had brought her to such a fancy place.

"This is really fantastic," she smiled, examining every bit of the area. Boris grinned back as he poured a glass of wine for her.

"Of course. My girl deserves the absolute best," Boris winked as he passed the glass over to Alice. She blushed as they toasted to the night.

After the dinner, Boris brought Alice to a nearby park for a romantic walk in the moonlight. Mostly, they walked in silence, just enjoying each other's company. Alice had never been so happy and comfortable in her life when she was in his arms. She leaned into him as they continued on the path.

"Can we sit for a moment?" Boris implored as they walked by a deserted bench. Alice nodded as they sat. Boris turned to her, his eyes filled with urgency. "Alice, this past year has been absolutely fantastic. You have opened a world of opportunities for me and have brought me so many possibilities. I don't want that to stop," Boris blurted out as he brought out a gorgeous ring. Within the golden band laid a small aquamarine gem in a heart shape. "So, will you marry me?"

"Yes," Alice whispered as Boris smiled, slipping the ring on her finger. Alice leaned in and gently kissed Boris, knowing that she had made the right choice.


	2. Chapter 2

"So, you're engaged to the cat?" Julius summed up. Alice nodded as Boris grabbed her hand. Both Alice and Boris agreed that Julius would be the first to know, since he was like an older brother to Alice. Julius cleared his throat, unsure about Alice's decision. "So, when will you be moving out?"

"By the end of the week," Alice whispered, nervous about it, too. Julius took off his reading glasses, hardly believing what he was hearing.

"Okay, thank you for telling me," the clockmaker stated as he began to tinker with the clock again. Alice exhaled, expecting more from Julius, but glad that he didn't care that much.

"I could still come and help-" Alice started before Julius cut off her sentence by the wave of his hand.

"That won't be necessary. I still can manage on my own, and I'm sure you wouldn't want to make the trek across Wonderland twice a day just to help me out," he reminded, eying Alice. She sighed, knowing that it was true. The amusement park was on the other side of the country of Hearts from the Clock Tower.

"I'll still come and visit, though. I'm not going to get up and abandon you," Alice promised as Julius sighed.

"As you wish," he mumbled, ending the conversation. Boris led Alice out of the room, as they wanted to spread the word quickly. However, the castle would be the last to know. The Queen's minister, Peter the Rabbit, had been in love with Alice longer than Boris even knew she existed. Although, Alice always grew uncomfortable with Peter's overwhelming affection and his high disregard for other lives.

Alice and Boris tried to sneak into the amusement park to tell Gowland, Boris's foster father, about their engagement. However, the Hatter was trying to negotiate territories with the owner, but Gowland wasn't having any of it. Boris turned toward the exit, hoping to come at a later, safer time. Alice froze when he tried to steer her away, unsure if leaving was the right thing to do when Gowland was in such a bad mood. Boris tried again to direct her away, but this time it caught Elliot's attention.

"Hey Alice!" he called out, hoping to ease the tension between the men with her. Madson and Gowland both looked over to see if Alice was truly there. The Hatter folded his arms as the owner walked up to the couple, happy that they were there.

"What's goin' on?" Gowland greeted, waving to them. Boris held his head in his hands as Alice stepped forward, ready to announce their news. She figured this saved them a trip to the Hatter Mansion.

"Boris and I wanted to tell you that we're engaged," Alice replied smoothly, keeping her voice steady. This shocked both Madson and Elliot as they shared a quick glance. Gowland cheered as he embraced Boris.

"Fantastic!" the owner shouted as he patted the cat's back. Meanwhile, Elliot continued to glance between Madson and Alice. The Hatter remained motionless, not knowing how to react. A strong pain surged through his chest when he thought of the two together forever. Alice turned away from the Hatter and Elliot as Gowland congratulated them. Boris felt the Hatter's discomfort and shock, and waited for the worst. If Madson didn't explode now, Boris knew there was a storm coming. "When's the ceremony?"

"Well, we're not sure yet, but we wanted to tell our friends beforehand. That why people would be aware of the decision," Boris answered, holding Alice's hand. Gowland grinned and nodded slowly, glad for the couple. The same couldn't be said for Madson, though. He looked disturbed to think of Alice marrying a cat. In his mind, he always thought that Alice would stay single. It never occurred to him that Alice might have a relationship, and that unnerved him.

"So, is it official?" Elliot inquired, speaking for his silent boss. Alice smiled as she held up her hand and showed them the fabulous wedding ring that Boris had gotten for her. Madson nearly went over and ripped the ring off her ring, but he had enough restraint to keep himself sane. Instead, he stood still as his breathing got heavy. Boris grinned as Alice put her hand back down. Elliot smiled back, genuinely happy for them, even though he boss was not. "Congratulations."

"Thank you," Alice replied bubbly, her worries whisked away for the moment as Boris held her close.

"So, are ya gonna tell Vivaldi? She'd wanna more, too, ya know," Gowland reminded, making a point. The Queen, Vivaldi, was a strange woman, but loved Alice dearly as a younger sister. She always made sure that Alice was absolutely happy and not being toyed by some man that thought he was special. She even offered to behead Peter and Madson for her, but Alice overruled it. Alice had a special regard for life that Wonderlanders didn't. Elliot looked over at Madson, making sure that he wasn't raging yet.

"Of course. The Queen has always been like an older sister to me," Alice nodded, recalling other dangers of telling the crown so soon. Gowland laughed good heartily, recognizing Alice's face. Nearly everyone in Hearts knew why Alice would be uneasy about the task ahead.

"Good. Just watch out for Peter," Gowland warned, hoping that Peter would leave Boris alive. Alice grimaced as Madson regained motion.

"Better leave the cat here," he remarked sourly as he stepped next to Gowland. Elliot started at his boss's voice and turned back to the couple. Alice glared at the Hatter before thinking about his words.

"Maybe I should go tell Vivaldi alone. That way is Peter overheard me, he wouldn't be able to kill you," Alice told Boris, concerned for his life. Boris rolled his eyes playfully and smiled.

"No. If we're going to tell anyone, we're doing it together. Peter will try to kill me anyway. Might as well do it now. Besides, I may even be safer around you, since he won't kill anyone in front of you," Boris pointed out, slightly upset with the Hatter for mentioning such a thing. Alice sighed, agreeing with her fiance. Peter would try to kill him at a later date and he may even be safer at her side. Gowland shook his head, his long, ginger braid whipping the back of his neck.

"Why don't ya'll go tell 'em and get it o'er with?" Gowland suggested, on Boris's side of the argument. Madson shrugged, not even sure why he brought the thought up. Elliot stood next to the Hatter, uncertain on what to think of Madson's actions. He knew that his boss had feelings for Alice, but he wasn't sure just how strong they were.

"Good idea," Alice agreed as Boris led her willingly to the exit again. They both waved goodbye before they turned to corner. Gowland readjusted his glasses before returning to Madson and Elliot.

"So, about the territory-" he began.

"Never Mind. Keep it. You may want to save it for Mr. and Mrs. Feline," Madson barked, shocking both his right hand man and the owner. Elliot leaned over to his boss and turned away from Gowland.

"Madson, what are you doing? We've needed this land for weeks now," he reminded in hushed tones. Madson just waved him away, as if he were only a fly. Elliot went silent, but glared at the Hatter. Gowland raised an eyebrow, not believing what he was hearing.

"I guess they could use it," the owner mentioned, irritated that Madson was making fun of Alice and Boris. On the other hand, Madson was acting strange, so he let it slide for now. "Why the sudden loss of interest? This ain't like ya, Hatter."

"I have a feeling that free loading cat needs a homestead. Think of it as a wedding gift for the furry couple," Madson hissed, realizing just how much he really cared for Alice. Elliot gaped, knowing how close Madson was to rampaging across the country. Gowland stroked his prickly chin, trying to figure out the Hatter's true motivations.

"Okay, if that' that, then ya can go," he stated before heading back to his office. Gowland was suspicious of the Hatter, and he knew something big was coming over the horizon.

On the road to the castle, Alice and Boris started to plan their ceremony and reception. They agreed that a spring wedding would be best, maybe March or April. There would be purple, blue, and pick flowers and decorations in both, but cream tablecloths for the reception. The reception would be held in the field behind the amusement park, as an informal occasion. The actual ceremony would be held at the town hall, but that was all that had been decided when they arrived at the castle.

They walked straight in, since most of the guards and servants already knew Alice. A young maid even volunteered to fetch the Queen as Boris and Alice waited in the throne room. As they sat in silence, Ace passed by and came in to see if Alice was in the room. His red coat tails flew in his wake as he dashed into the large room.

"Alice? what are you doing here?" he chuckled as he opened his arms out wide. Alice smiled as she gave the Knight of Hearts a hug. Boris waved, remembering the pain that the Knight had caused Alice a few months ago.

"We're here to see Vivaldi. We have a special announcement, if you don't mind waiting a bit," she answered as she sat back down beside Boris. Ace thought for a moment before getting an idea to what the announcement might be.

"You're pregnant," the Knight guessed, which left Boris gaping and Alice's head in her hands. Ace tilted his head to the side, knowing that wasn't it.

"Do I _look_ pregnant?" Alice murmured sharply through her fingers.

"No, I guess not," Ace replied as Vivaldi raced into the room, scooping Alice up in her arms. Alice laughed, glad to see the Queen so energetic.

"Oh, Alice, how long have you been waiting? Not long, we hope. It's so good to see you," Vivaldi greeted, still holding Alice's shoulders.

"It's good to see you, too, Vivaldi," Alice replied.

"So, why have you come? Usually you inform us beforehand," the Queen inquired, knowing that it had something to do with Boris. The cat stood next to Alice as she took a deep breath.

"She has an announcement, and, no, she isn't pregnant," Ace cut in as he leaned against the wall. The Queen gave his a cold look, appalled by the Knight's words.

"Of course Alice isn't pregnant. We would know if she was," Vivaldi scolded as Ace cringed at her tone. The Queen turned her attention back to the couple, smiling again. "What is your announcement?"

"Boris and I wanted to tell you that we're engaged," Alice replied, smiling at her Queen. Ace's mouth dropped open, not expecting Boris to have the courage to pop the question. Vivaldi laughed and smiled kindly before grabbing Alice's hands.

"That is wonderful! We are so happy for you two," the Queen giggled before she confronted Boris. The cat stood at attention for his leader as she examined him. "You should be adequate for Alice. But, if you break her heart, we will personally take off your head."

"I would never think of doing such a thing to Alice," Boris promised, bowing for his Queen. Vivaldi smiled and turned back to Alice, who stood frozen. Peter had entered the room. The Queen sighed, waiting for the meltdown. Peter White was the minister to the Queen and was a rabbit man. As in, he had two white bunny ears popping out the top of his head, but he was far from cute and cuddly. He was merciless and ruthless, possibly more dangerous than the Hatter and Elliot combined. However, he would never, ever, harm a hair on Alice's head.

"Alice, what is going on?" Peter demanded, his pale green eyes flashing behind his circular glasses. Even Boris groaned when he was the rabbit man. Peter held Alice's hands and stared into her eyes.

"I'm engaged to Boris," Alice stated as she pulled her hands away from his grasp. Peter was shocked and didn't move. Even his white blonde hair refused to move. Boris ran behind Alice for support as Peter collapsed to the ground.

"But, Alice. I love you. Are you sure this is what you want to do?" he whispered, as he stared at the ground. Alice took a deep breath.

"Yes, it is," she answered firmly. Peter jolted forward, as if she had smacked him.

"This can't be. You should be with me!" he hissed as he looked back up at Alice. His eyes were filled with misery and hatred for Boris. Alice knew that Peter wouldn't dare touch Boris while she was around, since that would ultimately break her heart.

"No, Peter. I should be with Boris," Alice whispered as Peter stood again, still very upset. Boris grabbed Alice's shoulders, hoping to send Peter the message.

"Fine," the rabbit groaned as he crawled back into the hallway. Vivaldi clicked her tongue in disgust as Ace enjoyed the show.

"Anyway, we have work to do, if you'll excuse us," Vivaldi mentioned before leaving the room. Ace sighed, sensing that it was his cue to leave. Alice looked up at Boris before they left the castle in silence.


	3. Chapter 3

Weeks after Alice and Boris announced their engagement, Gowland built them a decent sized home down the road from the amusement park, the area Madson so graciously gave to the couple. Alice helped decorate with her book and other collectables. She even put up Boris's weapon collection in the dining room along with Boris's furniture, since Alice had none. Boris helped with the landscape, wanting the rose bushes in the front yard to be immaculate.

Within the weeks, Alice and Boris decided that on April fourth as the date and kept the color scheme. Vivaldi took Alice dress shopping and bought her a simple, yet gorgeous, white dress with matching shoes. They arranged the ceremony at the Town Hall and negotiated catering with the amusement park. They even had sent the invitations around.

One night, once the house was finished, Boris went into town to pick up his custom made tuxedo he had ordered. Alice sat in her library as the doorbell rang. She got up and went to the door, finding Madson on her doorstep, admiring the house. The Hatter hardly noticed that the door had opened, irritating Alice a bit.

"Hello?" Alice greeted, remaining civil. Madson turned to her and smirked cunningly, sending chills up her spine. "What do you want?"

"To stop by, really. I wanted to see how the house turned out. Where's the cat?" Madson answered as he walked in past Alice. He put his top hat and cane on the coat rack as she closed the door.

"_Boris_ is out in the town, but he'll be back soon," Alice hissed as Madson explored each room.

"I see. How long have you two been engaged now?" he asked as he picked up a candlestick and looked at it.

"Almost two months." Madson slammed the object back down on the shelf, starling Alice.

"Are you sure this is the right decision? It feels like you rushed into it, but it could just be me," the Hatter remarked as he started to sift through her collection of books.

"We have been dating for over a year and I've known him for as long as I have known you. I promise you, I haven't rushed into anything," Alice promised, annoyed by Madson's tone. The Hatter grunted, also irritated. He put down the book he was holding and turned on his heel to face Alice. She backed up against the wall as Madson cornered her, searching through her eyes.

"I think you are," he insisted as he touched her cheek. Alice turned away from his hand, scared and surprised at him. Madson removed his hand, but kept staring at Alice. "Do you think that he will stay with you? Don't you think he'll grow bored of you?"

"Shut up, Madson! You don't know anything! Boris is kind and loving and hasn't done anything to show that I shouldn't trust him. He does want to spend the rest of his life with me, and I him. And at least Boris doesn't tease me horrifically and obsessively," Alice exploded, stepping away from the wall. Madson backed off and laughed under his breath.

"So that's what you think of me? Some kind of tease? Did you ever think about why I did it? I only figured it out a few weeks ago," Madson implored as he grabbed Alice's shoulders. She glared at him, struggling in his grip. He leaned in and gently kissed her lips. Alice jerked away and smacked him.

"I've never thought of why you did those things and I didn't care. I could handle it. And Boris is the only one, Hatter, that I've ever truly loved. You are just a guy that I know, nothing more. I don't even think that we're friends," Alice fought back, ready to beat the snot out of Madson. The Hatter stepped away, stunned by her assault and words. Alice walked out of the library, done with the Hatter's tricks.

"Alice, wait!" Madson commanded as he stood in the hallway. She stopped and slowly turned back to look at him.

"I don't want to hear anything you have to say. You have crossed the line, Madson. And I won't be you entertainment any longer, either," Alice shouted, grinding her teeth. The Hatter stopped within feet of her, respecting her space. They stared each other down, waiting for the other to speak first.

"I wish things were different," Madson growled as he stormed downstairs and outside, grabbing his hat and cane on his way out. Alice slammed the door behind him in anger and frustration, thinking of Madson's lips on hers. It felt wrong, yet her lips still tingled from his touch. She ran back into her library, ready to have a nervous breakdown.

Boris came back home and hung up his signature boa on the coat rack and found a small hatter's tag on the floor. Curious, he bounded upstairs in search for Alice. He found her cuddled up in the huge armchair with a huge book on architecture. Boris moaned, knowing that she only picked up those books when she was extremely upset. He reached for the book slowly over the back of the chair, startling Alice.

"Sweetheart, are you okay?" Boris whispered as his purple tail flicked back and forth. She stared at him for a moment before curling back up against the back of the chair. Boris set the book on the side table as he waited for the answer.

"Madson dropped by around an hour ago. He said that he just wanted to see the house, but the he started to say the worst things about us. He told me that we were rushing into it and that he didn't think you'd stay with me. Then he confessed his feelings for me and kissed me. Of course, I smacked him, but he looked like he was still ready for a fight," Alice replied as she brought her knees to her chest. Boris frowned at Hatter's attack and touched her cheek, glad that she was strong. Alice smiled as her eyes watered. "It felt so wrong and it was so frightening to have him so intimate. I didn't know what to do."

"I thought that this might happen," Boris muttered as Alice looked up at him. Even if he married Alice, many would still be unhappy and try to take her away. Some may actually attempt to kill Boris just to get her alone. Alice knew it, too, but now they had proof of danger, she put her head back on her knees.

"What do we do?" Alice whispered, almost knowing exactly what they needed to do.

"Escape somehow. We have to get out of Hearts if it gets really bad, even if it's for a few years," he replied as he sat on the side table. Alice nodded, understanding too well.

"Earth," she mumbled, knowing that would be the safest place to go. Boris nodded, thinking the same thing. Alice shook her head, not wanting to go back. Four or five months ago, Peter had informed Alice of her sister's, Lorina's, death. Alice was absolutely devastated and decided to stay in Wonderland instead of randomly appearing for her sister's funeral. She wiped her tears away quickly. "So, that's our plan then?"

"I think it should be a back up plan. We can handle Peter, but if Madson gets any worse, I think we should consider that as an option," Boris answered, concerned for Alice and himself. She nodded.

"I'm going to go to bed. I'm exhausted," Alice announced, kissing Boris on her way out. He smiled and waved her off to bed. He waited in the library until the light went out before leaving the house, en route to the Hatter's mansion.

The time period changed from night to midday, so the Bloody Twins were on duty, guarding the gate. Boris climbed out of the tree line to confront the twins. They were excited to see him and let him right in. Madson had been in for a few hours, so he had come at a good time. Boris thanked both the twins as he continued into the mansion. Politely, he waited in the front room as Elliot walked by.

"Boris? What are you doing here?" the Hare growled, pulling out his gun. Boris just stared at Elliot, not moving a muscle.

"I wanted to talk to your boss. Besides, if Madson can waltz into my home, I should be able to in his," he replied as Elliot returned his gun to his holster.

"I see. Sorry about that. Madson has been acting strangely lately. He keeps to himself most of the time, and when he leaves, I don't know where he goes," Elliot apologized as he led Boris up the stairs.

"It's fine. I just wanted to talk to him about it," Boris laughed, hiding his annoyance. Elliot nodded as they stopped by the Hatter's room. The Hare knocked, waiting for an answer from within. Madson slowly opened the door, looking like he didn't want to be disturbed.

"What?" he asked as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Boris came by to talk to you. Apparently you came to his house or something," Elliot explained before he started to walk away.

"Where are you going, Elliot?" the Hatter grumbled, trying to make eye contact with Boris. Elliot just waved his hand, leaving his boss with the cat. "Might as well come in." Madson retreated back into his room and sat on the sofa. Boris closed the door and looked around. "Well, what can I do for you?"

"Alice told me everything," Boris replied, still gazing at the different books and pictures on the wall. Madson exhaled, like he knew he was in trouble. "I don't care if you tease Alice, but kissing her really ruffles my fur. She is engaged to me, not you. I won't let you try to get between us. Ever."

"I see. All I can say is that I will fight until the day I die," Madson countered, dead serious. Boris flipped his head toward the Hatter and glared, his eyes slitted like a true cat.

"So be it," but let me warn you. Alice only has eyes for me, so back off," the cat hissed, his hair standing on end. Madson smirked, accepting the new challenge.

"I won't be backing off anytime soon, so enjoy the time you have left," the Hatter whispered as he pulled out a semi-automatic from behind the couch. Boris stepped back, bolting out when the bullets rained down upon him. He leaped out of a window before Madson even made it to the hallway. Elliot ran to Madson after hearing the gunfire.

"What happened?" he asked as the Hatter handed him the gun.

"Boris has some nerve. That's all. Reload this, please," Madson summed up as he handed the now empty gun to Elliot. The Hatter disappeared into his room as Elliot groaned before doing as he was told.


	4. Chapter 4

When Boris returned, Alice was still fast asleep. He smiled as he went back downstairs. He searched the kitchen for something to eat and settled for a few cookies that Alice made for the construction workers. They were a bit stale, but it was better than the jar of pickles that Gowland had left a week ago.

Nightmare visited Alice that day in her dreams moments after Boris came back. Alice slowly gained consciousness in the dream. Nightmare was a dream demon, who creates different dreams for an individual. However, he also visited them in their dreams, including Alice's. He floated in front of Alice, waiting for a response.

"Hello, Nightmare," Alice greeted as she rubbed her eyes. He smiled and bowed.

"Hello, Alice. I see that you finished moving in. How are you doing?" Nightmare inquired, floating around her. She grinned and shrugged.

"Better than I had hoped. Boris is wonderful to me and looks out for me, too. I don't think I've ever been more content in my entire life," Alice answered, still smiling. Nightmare laughed, glad to know that she was doing so well in Hearts.

"I heard that you had a little spat with the Hatter. Not many can say that, you know," Nightmare pried, endlessly curious. Alice's smile disappeared as she sat in the cloud fluff.

"I did, but I would consider it more than just a little spat. He thinks that he can just take whatever he wants. He thinks that he can just barge into my home and confess his feelings to me, even though I'm already taken. He thinks that he can just say whatever he wants and doesn't expect a strong response. Does he think that I'm just going to abandon Boris and jump into his arms, just because he tried to intimidate me?" Alice vented, standing up to pace around the dream. Nightmare shrugged, agreeing with her.

"The Hatter is just discovering his feelings for you. I don't recall him ever falling in love before, which is partly why he has few weaknesses and so dangerous. Besides, now that he knows, he doesn't know what to do. I don't even know how I would fair in that situation," Nightmare pointed out, unlocking secrets from Madson's head. Alice threw her arms into the air, exasperated.

"So? I've been through heartbreak before, and he'll live. That is if he doesn't do something stupid or reckless. He'll be fine if he comes to the fact that I'm taken, and will always be. Even if Boris dies, I would never remarry," Alice vowed, making her opinion known. Nightmare smirked, glad to see her side of this without reading her mind.

"Very noble. By the way, I am invited to the wedding, right?" he smiled as Alice chuckled.

"Only if you stop reading my mind. I would send you a formal invitation, but I don't know how to reach you other than in my dreams," Alice admitted, wondering if he really existed in the real world. Nightmare shrugged and smiled slyly.

""Oh, I'm around. Mostly, I reside in the Country of Clovers, but I wouldn't expect you to make that journey. It's long and rather dangerous. Besides, I don't mind informal invitations," he chuckled, lifting the mood. A large, glowing orb lit the gloomy clouds, nearly blinding Alice. It was the end of the dream. Nightmare sighed as he began to fade away. "Time to go. And thank you for the invite. I look forward to it."

"Good bye, Nightmare," she whispered as the orb sucked her into darkness. Alice slowly woke up in her room, seeing that it was midday. She groaned as she sat up and went downstairs to find Boris in the kitchen. He had fallen asleep on the kitchen table, cookie crumbs scattered around his face. Alice smiled as she started to make some coffee. As the coffee steeped, Boris stirred, reacting to the strong aroma. Alice sat next to him and held his hand. "Good morning, honey. Sleep well?"

"Sort of. As much as one can when they pass out on the kitchen table. Are you making coffee?" he inquired as he gently rubbed Alice's fingers.

"Yep, I am. Would you like some?" Alice grinned as Boris kissed her cheek.

"Absolutely. You make the best coffee I've ever had," he replied before he grabbed an apple from the basket. Alice blushed at his comment as the kettle screamed at her. She jumped up and poured two cups of the black liquid. Boris snuck a sip as Alice evened the two drinks. She laughed as she shook her head. She placed the pot in the sink as she sat back down next to Boris. "So, how did you sleep?"

"Wonderfully. Although, Nightmare showed up toward the end. Just making the rounds I guess," Alice shrugged as Boris chuckled. Afterward, Boris helped with the dishes as Alice dried them and put them away.

"So, what's the plan for today?" Boris implored, tired of the silence. Alice looked over her shoulder, not sure. "We could go to the amusement park, explore the forest, visit Vivaldi. The possibilities are endless."

"I don't know," she said, thinking about it as she slipped the pot back in the cupboard. "Do you want to go see Julius? We haven't seen him in a few weeks."

"That sounds like fun. Let's do that," Boris cheered, eager to irritate the clockmaker. Alice grinned as they left hand in hand, off to see their old friend.

As the arrived to the Tower, Alice wasn't able to find Julius anyway. they checked his office, his room, the kitchen, and even the roof. Alice moaned as they ended up back at the entrance. It was odd for Julius to go missing, since he always had so much work to do. Boris patter her shoulder comfortingly.

"He may be out getting parts, since that's what you did when you lived here," he reasoned, letting Alice relax. She nodded as she straightened.

" You're probably right. We'll just have to come back later. What do you want to do in the meantime?" She looked up at Boris and smiled. He shrugged, grinning back.

"We should go see Gowland. He's always complaining that we don't ever see him enough," Boris suggested as Alice led him out the door.

"Sounds good to me," she cheered as they journeyed to amusement park, trying to get her mind off Julius's disappearance.

The workers started to whisper among themselves the second Alice and Boris entered. Alice kept her head down as Boris held his head high, ignoring all the gossiping voices. They retreated into the crowd to find Gowland's office. They quickly ducked inside, startling the owner. He looked up from his work and grinned when he recognized Alice and Boris.

"Well, hiya. What can I do for ya?" Gowland greeted as he stood up from he desk.

"We just wanted to come say hi. We had bit of a bumpy day yesterday," Alice replied, surprising him. Howland glanced at Boris and turned back to Alice.

"How so?" he pressed as Alice told the stories of the Madson encounter. Boris remained silent and still, determined to keep his own meeting with the Hatter a secret for as long as he could. Gowland sighed and rubbed his forehead. "God, I hope he slips up soon. That way Vivaldi can catch 'im and put 'im in prison, where he belongs, if ya ask me. I'm sorry he caused ya all that trouble."

"It's fine now. I just hope he keeps his distance," Alice admitted, glad to have to the owner. Boris nodded, agreeing with her. Gowland noticed Boris's odd, suspicious behavior and turned to Alice.

"Would you be a dear and check to see if I grabbed the mail? I've been expecting a package and it hasn't come yet," Gowland asked as Alice nodded. She left the room, letting it grow silent in her absence. Gowland turned to Boris, wary of his attitude. The cat closed the doors as his pupils narrowed. "What did you do now?"

"A few hours after Alice fell asleep, I left for the Hatter's. I confronted Madson about his actions and told him to back off Alice. I think I may have just pissed him off, though, and now he's still after Alice. I just barely dodged his bullets, and I haven't told her any of this yet. I don't want her to be worried about this right now," Boris quickly explained, glancing at the door every five seconds. Gowland rubbed his brow, questioning his bravery and possibly stupidity.

"I see. Be careful. If ya die, Alice will be devastated and I don' wanna have her grieve anymore. I just found out about 'er sister this mornin' from one of the workers. She's been through enough without losin' you," Gowland warned, knowing Boris would gladly die for Alice's happiness and safety. Boris nodded as Alice came back in with a large parcel.

"Is this the package you've been waiting for?" she asked as she placed it on the desk. Gowland nodded, trying not to seem surprised. He had made up the package to talk to Boris alone. He slowly approached it and carefully opened it to find a large wall clock. Gowland pulled it out as it counted down to two p.m. As the clock chimed twice, a small note popped out. The owner picked it up and carefully read it. After turning pale, he handed it to Boris. The cat turned away to read it as Alice was suffocating in the suspense.

"What? What is it?" she urged, extremely curious. Boris took a deep breath as he handed her the note.

"After you went to sleep, I went to go talk to the Hatter," he explained as she looked at it, glad she had a knight in shining armor. The note said:

Dear Cheshire Cat,

We didn't get a chance to finish our little conversation. I would very much like to talk about it civilly. I have been feeling much better and I think we need to talk. I will expect your arrival at my mansion within the next two time periods. And do choose your words wisely. I'd hate to shoot you.

Sincerely,

Madson Hatter

"That maniac," Alice hissed as she passed the letter back to Gowland, who was equally shocked by it. "There must be something certifiably wrong with him. And why did you go see him? That just seems like a bad idea."

"He needed to hear my opinions about his actions. I just didn't plan for him to pull a gun on me," Boris confessed, feeling no remorse. Alice laughed under her breath as she embraced her fiance.

"I don't think anyone does when speaking of such a topic," she teased as she sat down on the nearby chair.


	5. Chapter 5

"Are you really considering this invitation? There's nothing more to talk about," Alice pleaded as Boris stared at the odd letter. Gowland sat back down at his desk, staying out of it. Boris slumped as he grabbed her shoulders/

"Of course I'm considering this, and there is more to talk about. I can't have him jeopardizing our happiness for his own gain. I won't stand by and do nothing," he whispered, hoping that she could see where he was coming from. Alice sighed and nodded, knowing that there was nothing she could say to stop him. Boris kissed her forehead. "I'll be back soon."

"Be careful," Alice muttered as he raced out of the room. She sighed as she left to go back home. Gowland watched her leave, upset to see her like that, even more worried than before. If he had any say in the matter, he'd put Madson in jail for torturing Alice and Boris.

Instead of hiding in the tree line like before, Boris stormed up to the gate. Of course, the Bloody Twins were nowhere to be found, so he was able to stroll right in. As in the cat walked into the mansion, Elliot passed the entrance. He raced back and drew his gun, obviously oblivious to the strange invitation. Boris raised his hands in surrender, really starting to hate the Hatter.

"What are you doing here?" Elliot asked, tired of Boris's strange appearances. Boris put his arms back down as Elliot put the gun away, understanding that he meant no harm.

"Madson gave me an invitation to talk to him," the cat replied, handing Elliot the note that came from the clock. He took the paper from Boris and read it through twice. Elliot returned the letter, concerned for his boss.

"God, Madson is losing his mind. I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble," the Hare sighed as he once again led the cat back upstairs. Boris followed closely as Elliot opened the Hatter's door. Madson was throwing darts at the wall as his hat and cane laid askew on the floor. He turned toward the door and frowned. He put the darts on a nearby table as he came towards his visitors.

"Elliot, didn't I tell you to knock on the door?" Madson hissed, his gaze fixated on Boris.

"Yes, but you usually tell me when we're expecting visitors," Elliot pointed out, worried for his boss. Madson only nodded, realizing that he had forgotten to tell him.

"My apologies, Elliot. I thought I had told you that the cat was coming in," Madson whispered, turning his head toward Elliot. Elliot said nothing, hoping for more an explanation than that. Madson looked back at Boris and sat on the couch. "Stay, Elliot. This may answer your questions."

"Sure, boss," Elliot mumbled as he sat on a chair near the door. Boris remained standing, staring at the Hatter.

"You said you wanted to talk?" Boris finally mentioned as Madson nodded.

""I still want to," the Hatter replied, lounging on the couch. "So, where we left off, I wrongfully threatened you. Now, I do regret pulling that gun on you, but I still meant what I said. I am in love with Alice, and I don't know how to go about it, especially since you are engaged to her. So, I... Elliot, close your mouth. You'll catch flies."

"Yes, sir," Elliot muttered after gaping at his boss's words. Madson took a deep breath before turning back to Boris.

"Anyway, so, I have decided to let Alice choose for herself. However, I am determined to be a persuading figure. Think of it as a challenge. All or nothing," Madson proposed, angering Boris.

"What if I refuse?" the cat demanded, every fiber in his body wanting to mess the Hatter up.

"Then I will sweep her off her feet right under your nose. I plan to prove that I am the better choice, even if it leads to my downfall," the Hatter vowed, sending chills up Boris's spine. He scowled at his new found enemy and smirked as Elliot stared at Madson.

"I sincerely hope you like rejection, Hatter," Boris whispered as he turned toward the door.

"Now, don't walk out. We're having an important discussion," Madson reminded after clicking his tongue. Boris turned back to the Hatter, confused. He walked up to Madson, stopping about a foot in front of him.

"What else would you like to talk about?" Boris growled as Elliot stood from his seat. Madson motioned for him to stand down.

"I'd like to know whether you've accepted my little challenge. It's hard to plan your first move if you aren't sure your opponent is playing with you," Madson stated as Boris laughed, thinking that whole idea was absurd.

"Sure, I'll accept it, but I'll warn you. I have a few tricks up my sleeve as well," the cat taunted as he backed away. Madson clasped his hands together.

"Fantastic. Now you can storm out," he laughed, shooing the cat away. Boris rolled his eyes as Elliot escorted him out, stunned by Madson's confession. Boris glanced over to Elliot and chuckled under his breath.

"You weren't expecting that conversation, were you? he remarked, almost reading Elliot's mind. The Hare shook his head, still surprised.

"I figured that he was irritated by Alice's engagement, but I never thought that he would be in love wither her. I knew that he found her interesting, but nothing of this magnitude. A word of advice, though. Keep Alice close. Madson has knack for getting what he wants in the sneakiest ways," Elliot warned as he guided Boris to the gate. Luckily, the gatekeepers were there, so Elliot didn't have to scream at them. Boris smiled as he firmly shook Elliot's hand on the outside of the gate.

"Thank you for understanding. Besides, I don't think Alice will change her mind in three and a half months," Boris winked before bounding into the forest. Elliot half smiled, knowing the same thing, before he returned to the mansion.

Boris walked into his home and found Alice's shoes by the door. He had guessed right that Alice had decided to go home after a visit to Gowland's. He traveled upstairs to see Alice with a visitor in the library. He leaned against the door frame as Alice and Vivaldi turned and smiled. Boris almost didn't recognize the Queen, as she was wearing a more casual dress, even though it looked like Alice was under dressed, and she left her crown at home. Even her hair didn't have the permed ringlets it usually held.

"Hey, Boris. Vivaldi was waiting at the door when I came home, so I let her in," Alice explained, smiling up at him. Vivaldi's eyes glanced between the two as she smiled delightedly.

"It's fine. I love company. Do you mind if I join you?" he asked, not moving from the doorway.

"We don't mind. You are not like the other men we have met. Please, sit down," Vivaldi offered, allowing Boris to stay in her presence. Boris bowed before he sat across from the two. Alice had been showing Vivaldi a map of her old would, as many still had questions about where she had come from. Alice had drawn a rough sketch of a green island, in which she had claimed to be from, and pointed to a dot called London.

"This is the town where I'm from. It was my home for nineteen years. Across the sea laid the land of France, along with many other countries," Alice explained as her finger dragged across the map. Vivaldi and Boris both felt intrigued about Alice's homeland and her world's history. She told of bloody wars and an empire that engulfed most of the east, including places like China and India, and when they were acquired.

"What year would it be today if we were there?"Boris interrupted, peaking the Queen's interest, too. Alice paused for a moment to remember. She gained a small headache, but she did recall the year she left.

"I think it would be 1901," Alice replied, counting her years.

"So, I was born in 1879?" Boris confirmed as Alice nodded.

"Yeah, since my birth year is 1880," she added.

"Oh, this is exciting! So, ours would be 18... 1876!" Vivaldi cheered, thrilled with the information from an unknown world. Alice smiled and laughed.

"You really are just like my older sister. She'd be twenty five this year, too," she choked as her eyes teared up. Boris grabbed her hand to comfort her. Alice smiled at him, glad to know he was empathetic.

"Oh, Alice, we're sorry. Would it help if you told us about her?" Vivaldi asked, worried about her. Alice nodded as she sniffed.

"You are a lot like her, really. She loved to wear frilly clothes and she always looked after me. She loved to play cards and read a lot. She was my role model back then, since she was pretty, smart, and good with people. Even when my mother died when I was young, she was there to comfort me," Alice confessed, looking at her fingers. Vivaldi sighed, never realizing how much pain that she had accumulated over the years. The Queen grabbed Alice's other hand and smiled.

"We were honored to be compared to your sister. We will be your honorary sister from now on," Vivaldi promised, lifting Alice's depression.

"Thanks, Vivaldi. That means a lot to me," Alice whispered happily as she wiped her eyes. The Queen grinned, glad that she succeeded in lifting Alice's mood.

"Do you ever want to go back to Earth? It seems like a more peaceful place than Wonderland. We know we would love to visit such a fantastic world," Vivaldi mentioned, casually changing the subject. Alice firmly shook her head.

"Not really. England is on the verge of war. It's so tense. That and they invented these motor carriages, so it's frightening to walk around the town. I can only take so much peace and quiet, anyway. This place is so much more exciting and I feel like I have a lot more friends back there, but it's so much easier to make friends here," Alice answered, having little wish to go back to her birthplace. Vivaldi smiled, flattered that her land was better than Earth.

"Good to hear. We're so glad you chose to stay here," The Queen giggled as Boris smiled. She picked up the scribble of a map and sighed. "To think that a planet covered in water boggles our mind. And that there is a bigger kingdom than ours worries us."

"Don't worry. I don't think you'll get invaded anytime soon," Alice laughed as Vivaldi handed back the map.

"So, how did your encounter with the Hatter go?" The Queen asked, recognizing the elephant in the room. Boris glanced at Alice, but she hadn't said a would of his mission to anyone. The Queen laughed heartily. "Word travels fast in Hearts. Especially with those gossipy workers. How Gowland deals with them, we'll never know."

"Well, it went unexpectedly, I guess. He wants to fight for Alice, regardless of the situation. He even made it a challenge to win Alice's heart. Elliot was astonished when he heard this, not that I'm surprised. Anyway, he told me not to worry of him, since Madson has a reputation of taking what he wants," Boris informed, shocking Vivaldi and Alice. Alice planted her face in her hands as the Queen's eyes narrowed in disgust.

"That man! We would love to hang him by his toes to rot in the forest!The second he really slips up, we'll arrest him for this!" Vivaldi promised, her rage exploding. Alice said nothing, surprised by Boris's briefing.

"The sooner, the better," Boris mumbled, clearly annoyed by the Hatter. The Queen stood up, too mad to think this through.

"Does he even know that she is engaged?" Vivaldi demanded.

"He was among the first to know," Alice hissed, upset. The Queen sighed as she left for the door.

"We will make sure he pays for this. We will be back soon," Vivaldi as she blew a kiss to Alice, leaving the couple in silence. Alice grabbed Boris's hand, too stressed to talk. Boris held her hand tightly, knowing the Hatter was going to regret his actions on him and Alice.


	6. Chapter 6

After Vivaldi had left, Alice remained in the library reading to get her mind off things. Boris went downstairs to check the mail. Nothing came, which distressed him a bit. He was bored out of his mind as he waited for the Hatter to make the next move. Boris wished he wasn't the one being hunted. Patiently stalking, he loved. Patiently waiting for a sign of danger, not so much.

As Boris lounged on the couch, wondering if he was crazy and bored enough to do some chores, a knock came at the door. Excited, he leaped off the couch and bounded to the door. As he opened it, he revealed the Bloody Twins, tired from running. Almost wondering if Madson had sent them, he grinned, still glad to see them.

"Hey, you two. What brings you here?" Boris greeted as he allowed them in the house.

"Running from Chickie Rabbit. He and the boss had a huge fight, and then he caught us while we weren't on duty," Dee explained, panting as Boris closed the door.

"Usually we wouldn't care if he found us, but they were both in a bad mood," Dum continued as they entered the front room. Boris bit his lip, hoping that they didn't lead the angry hare here.

"Did he chase you at all?" Boris ventured, worried about Alice and their new home.

"No, he didn't," Dee replied as the twins both crashed on the sofa.

"Elliot just screamed at us before storming off somewhere," Dum complained as he sat up.

"We're not sure where he went, but we've never seen him that angry before," Dee shrugged as the other twin shuddered with memory.

"Well, you're always welcome here," Boris smiled as sat on an armchair across from them. The Bloody Twins grinned, happy that they knew Boris. "Did you hear any of the argument?"

"A bit," Dee realized as he looked at his brother.

"Something about how the Lady will never see it coming, but Elliot was against the idea," Dum explained as Boris connected the dots.

"At that point we left and went to look for mushrooms and such. We didn't want to get caught up in the middle of it," Dee added.

"I understand. I'm surprised that Elliot and Madson didn't end up killing each other," Boris mentioned as the twins shook their heads in confusion.

"No, they're like brothers. Even if they had an argument, they know that they wouldn't get far without each other. The two together are crucial for business," Dum explained as Boris nodded, relieved to have Elliot on his side. Alice came downstairs and stood in the doorway.

"I thought I heard a knock at the door," she laughed as the Bloody Twins ran up to her for hugs. She giggled as she hugged them back, making Boris grin at the cute scene.

"It's so nice to see the Lady again," Dum muttered, at ease with her presence. Dee nodded as they hung on her hips. Alice shook her head, at a loss for words. Boris stood up as they let Alice go again.

"You never come to mansion anymore to come play with us," Dee complained, looking up at Alice. She shrugged, smiling weakly.

"I wouldn't have to if you two kept coming over here. It's not like either of you work all the time," Alice pointed out, happy to finally have a place to entertain again. The twins lit up at the offer and nodded their heads.

"We'll definitely come over more often," they both cheered in unison as they jumped for joy.

"Are you two hungry? I actually came down to make something to eat," Alice asked as the Twins and Boris followed her into the kitchen.

Alice put a kettle on the stove as she grabbed some bread, cheese, and some sliced ham. She handed the food to Boris, who made sandwiches for the boys. Alice poured everyone a cup of tea before she sat back down to enjoy her little snack. The twins inhaled two sandwiches before they even touched their tea. Boris ignored them as he thought about how he was going to deal with the Hatter.

"Boris?" Dee shouted, trying to get his attention for ten minutes. Boris jumped and looked around the table. They were all staring at him, wondering why he was so spaced out. "Brother just told you that he'd kill Alice if you did answer, and you said nothing."

"Are you feeling alright?" Alice questioned softly, unnerved by the lack of reaction. Boris pressed his lips together, embarrassed.

"I'm just tired. I'll be fine once I take a nap," Boris grinned as he stood from the table. Alice nodded slowly as the twins devoured his sandwich. Boris kissed her forehead before disappearing upstairs to his room.

Once he fell asleep, Nightmare visited him. Boris slumped, wondering if he'd get any decent amount of sleep soon. The dream demon drifted closer, curious to know why he was in such a mood. They stared at each other in silence, slightly annoying Boris.

"Yes?" Boris asked, wanting some real sleep. Nightmare smirked as he floated in the air on his back.

"Usually I am greeted when others see me. I was just waiting for a 'hello'," the dream demon shrugged as he flipped back over. Boris laughed, loosening up a little. Nightmare smirked as he stood before him. "I heard what happened with Madson. To be honest, the Hatter has never really felt rejection before. Or even true love, for that matter. Sure he has dated over the years, but he never felt anything real. Once he lost that initial interest, he broke off that relationship. Many women cried over him, and others ended their lives because of it. None of them wanted to live without him in their lives. Very few got over Madson, with his money, power, and good looks."

"So now he knows what those girls flet. I'm having a hard time sympathizing with him. HE broke so many hearts, he deserves to know what it feels like," Boris replied, rolling his eyes. Nightmare sighed as he floated away from him, understanding how Boris felt. Madson wasn't the kind of guy that most people could relate to.

"I'm not expecting you to forgive or even like the Hatter, but I thought it might be easier to deal with him once you knew what he's going through," Nightmare clarified, floating around Boris. The cat nodded as he thought it through.

"I guess it does make him seem... human, but it also doesn't make me think that he's a good guy. Thanks for the tip," Boris admitted, smiling vaguely. Honestly, he didn't know what to do or to think. Madson really was having a difficult time, but Boris felt conflicted. He felt sorry, but also a burning hatred, for the Hatter.

"Anyway, I suggest you keep Alice close. Since Madson doesn't cope well with rejection, well, he may be reckless for the next few weeks," Nightmare warned as the bright orb engulfed Boris into the darkness.

Three or four hours went by before Boris woke up again. He turned and sighed, almost wishing that he could sleep just a little more. He slowly stood, realizing that he wasn't going to sleep anytime soon. He walked downstairs and found Alice telling the twins an old fairy tale from her home world. She spun a story about two children lost in a forest that left a trail of breadcrumbs to find their way home again. Boris leaned against the doorframe to listen.

"Then they came across an entire house made of gingerbread. Since they hadn't eaten in days, they started to munch on the house. This annoyed the old lady that lived there, so she went out and found Hansel and Gretel had eaten most of the trim on her front windows and door. Instead of yelling at them, the lady smiled and invited them to dinner. After weeks and weeks of stuffing them full, the lady prepared her huge oven, which could fit a small, plump child. She easily lured Gretel into a bird cage before tricking Hansel into thinking that the oven needed some work done.

"But this little boy was smart, and he knew the witch's plans to cook him and his sister. Instead, he told the witch that the coals weren't nearly hot enough and that was wrong with the oven. The witch's face crumpled in frustration and went to check it out for herself. Just as she was going to tell Hansel that he was being ridiculous, he shoved her in and locked the oven door. As the witch screamed and baked, Hansel saved his sister before running out of the house to finally find their way back home," Alice finished, succeeding in capturing the Bloody Twins' short attention spans. They stared in awe, amazed by the fabulous story. They applauded as Alice blushed, glad that they found it so entertaining. Even Boris clapped, startling all of them.

"You are a fantastic storyteller, Alice," Boris complimented as he sat next to the twins. Alice smiled as there was another knock at the door. She stood and went to see who it was as the Bloody Twins teased Boris.

When Alice opened the door, she found Ace with two castle soldiers behind him. The knight looked extremely disappointed, as if his own sister took his money.

"Ace? What's wrong?" Alice mentioned as she invited the entourage in. Ace sighed and turned to her.

"We got an anonymous tip that you were being... abused in your own home. When Vivaldi caught wind of the news, she sent us down here to investigate," the knight replied as Alice crossed her arms, appalled.

"Did Hatter give the tip?" she hissing, shocking Ace.

"How did you know?" he whispered as Alice threw her arms up in the air in surrender. She knew that Madson was only scratching the surface.

"Lucky guess. This isn't the first we've heard of Madson's threats. He hates the idea of me being married to another," Alice growled as Boris entered the room. Ace motioned the soldiers to wait outside as the cat stood next to Alice, only hearing the last part of the conversation.

"What's going on?" he asked, feeling the rising tension.

"Madson told them that you were beating me," Alice summed up as Ace confirmed with a bow of his head. Boris rolled his eyes in frustration, all sympathy for the Hatter evaporating from him.

"I see. Ace, I could never harm a hair on Alice's head. I couldn't live with myself if I did such a thing," Boris promised as the knight nodded and headed for the door.

"I know. We just wanted to make sure that Madson was lying. Vivaldi will be pleased that you're unharmed, Alice," Ace bowed as he opened the door.

"If you get any more tips like that from him, ignore them. He wants to ruin us," Alice warned as Ace nodded again before disappearing out of the house. Alice moaned, tired of the Hatter. "Where'd the twins go?"

"I left them in the library. They should still be there," Boris answered, kissing her forehead as they went back into the empty room. Alice sighed, wondering if they were undercover after all.


	7. Chapter 7

Later that day, Gowland came by for a visit. He heard about the false tip and came as fast as he could. Boris paced the floor as Alice and Gowland sat on the couch. Boris could feel the storm brewing, that this was only the beginning of Madson's trickery. They sat in silence as the cat panicked. Even if the accusation was the tip of the iceberg, most would never go to that extreme. It meant that the Hatter wasn't afraid to get dirty.

"Would ya wanna stay at the park? I wouldn't mind if ya stayed a few days for things to cool back down. That way, ya won't be harassed as much," Gowland suggested, getting dizzy from watching Boris, who was thinking over the offer.

"I think it might be a good idea. It'd also get our minds off things," Alice added, understanding what Boris was thinking about. The cat nodded, weighing their options. At least this way, he wasn't a sitting duck. He'd be out and about again.

"We'll do that, then," Boris finally agreed as he went to the door, ready to leave. Alice reached out for him as he opened the door, getting an awful feeling. He stepped out and found a small top hat with a ticking timer, connected to some wires. The clock read three minutes. Boris turned back and closed the door. He grabbed Alice's hand and Gowland's collar as he dashed out the back door.

"Boris? What are ya doin'?" Gowland shouted as they weaved through the trees. Alice looked up at him and saw pure fear in his eyes. She had never seen him like this before.

"What's wrong?" She yelled, worried about the situation. Boris said nothing as they got back to the park. He stopped and panted, scaring Alice. Just as she was about to ask if he was alright, a huge explosion sounded through the trees. Alice turned to see a giant fiery outburst, coming from the direction they came from. Gowland stared in bewilderment as Boris straightened again.

"There was a bomb. On the front step. There wasn't time for explanations," Boris explained as he continued to describe the bomb. Alice went cold as anger flowed through her, wanting to confront the Hatter. She stormed away from Gowland and Boris, furious. "Alice? Where are you going?"

"To deal with the problem," she hissed as she disappeared into the forest. Boris watched her go, knowing that he couldn't convince her to stay and she wouldn't let him follow for protection. Gowland sighed as he and the cat entered the amusement park, realizing how much they lost in the explosion.

When Alice reached the mansion, she stormed right past the gatekeepers, who could sense the anger and rage. They watched her force open the gates and stomp into the lion's den. In her rampage, Alice brushed past Elliot, hardly noticing that he was there.

"Alice?" the Hare whispered as he saw her go by. He followed her upstairs, making sure that she was safe. Alice pounded on Madson's door, shaking the wall around it. Elliot could hear her heavy breathing from his hiding spot down the hallway. Slowly, Madson opened it, annoyed at first. When he saw Alice, his expression softened.

"Well, isn't it Mrs. Fur ball," he taunted before Alice smacked him. Elliot jumped at the sound of her hand contacting his boss's cheek. Madson froze, his face confused and angry. He touched his inflamed cheek as he turned to Alice.

"If you have a problem with me or Boris, tell us. Don't go blowing up houses because you're upset!" She screamed, feeling better after she got that out of her system. Madson only stared at her, emotions conflicting in his eyes. Anger, lust, confusion, love, pain. They all swirled together, leaving Madson with a headache.

"I see you didn't like my house warming gift," he groaned as he retreated farther into his cave. Alice stepped into the doorway, unafraid of what the Hatter was planning to do. "Was that the only reason you came here?"

"Leave Boris alone. We don't want your pranks or attacks," Alice added, standing her ground. Madson turned and sat at his desk, staring at her.

"I can't do that, Princess," he muttered, meshing his hands together underneath his chin. Alice walked up to his desk and leaned against it.

"And why not?" she demanded, grinding her teeth. Madson stood and walked around the desk to stand in front of her.

"Because you are too important to me, Sweetheart. I can't let you run out of my life so quickly," he explained, touching Alice's cheek. She pushed it away, but Madson just took a step closer. "You can't get away that easily."

"Watch me," she growled before he pressed his lips against hers.

"Tell me that didn't feel right," he coaxed as Elliot ran into the room, having enough of Madson. He stared at his partner as Alice slapped him again. The Hatter gently pushed her into a nearby armchair, his eyes still focused on Elliot.

"Madson, this isn't right. Vivaldi is probably waiting for a perfect reason to ransack this place and to take off your head. We have to lay low, or we'll slip up. I don't want that to happen," Elliot warned as he stood motionless in the doorway. Madson did nothing, but glare at his right hand mane, almost appalled.

"This is none of your business-"

"It is my business! Madson, blowing up Alice's house was taking it too far. What if Alice was too close to the explosion? What if she died because of you? I think this has gone far enough!" Elliot shouted as he stepped forward. Madson remained still, wanting Elliot to get this off his chest. "This isn't the time to get reckless. We have to be careful."

"I understand. I have to be more careful," Madson agreed as Alice snuck out of the mansion, not caring for arguments she was fighting. She cautiously walked out of the gates with the Bloody Twins nowhere in sight. Alice traveled through the forest back to the amusement park, relieved to have told off the Hatter.

She wandered around for a while, thinking about where she could find Boris or Gowland. Alice peeked into the office only to be disappointed by the vacancy. She sighed as she continued to Boris's old apartment on the other side of the park.

To her luck, the two were inside, conversing about the explosion and how they had lost all their belongings. Alice winced as she realized that all the books she had collected over the years were gone, burnt and destroyed. As she entered, Boris embraced her as Gowland smiled from across the room.

"I'm so glad you're okay," Boris whispered in her ear before kissing her softly. Alice returned the hug, comforted to be back in his arms. "What'd you do anyway? I wanna know every detail!"

"Well, first I stormed into the mansion and slapped the Hatter square in the face-" Alice began, shocking both Boris and Gowland.

"Ya did wha' now?" the owner asked as he found his voice, unsure if he should be proud or worried about her.

"I slapped him. Then I told him that he was horrible for blowing up the place and to leave us alone. But, he said he couldn't and that he loved me. He then..." Alice blushed at the memory. "Kissed me, but I smacked him again. Elliot came in at that moment, which gave me an escape route as they argued."

"Madson did what to you?" Boris demanded, his eyes narrowing angrily.

"Um, kissed-" Alice whispered as her fiance turned away. Boris wanted to kill the Hatter, but he knew that he would be expecting that. Besides, Alice might get upset at his death. He punched the wall as he rested his head against the cold surface. He exhaled, realizing just how jealous he was. He didn't want Alice anywhere near the Hatter. Ever. "Boris? Are you okay?"

"No, I'm not. I can't stand the suspense, waiting for the next attack. It takes a toll on me. And when he does strike, there's absolutely nothing I can do about it. It's so frustrating," Boris complained as Alice touched his shoulder. He turned and smiled weakly, comforted to have her there.

"We'll get through this. Together. I'll never leave you alone," Alice promised softly as Gowland clapped a hand on Boris's other shoulder.

"Ya've got more allies than ya know, Boris. You ain't alone," he added as Boris began to relax.

"I know. Thanks, old man," he whispered, now staring back at the wall.

"Yer both welcome to stay here. I'll get some 'elpers to get ya some furniture so ya can be back on yer feet in no time," Gowland offered as Alice nodded, liking the idea.

"Thank you, Gowland. You've really helped us out," she smiled, melting Boris's heart. Gowland bowed his head before leaving with a grin. As he opened the door, an employee stood outside, hold a rather large parcel.

"It's for Miss Alice," she bowed as she gave it to Gowland. The owner thanked her and sent her on her way, worried about the package. It was light and made a small rustling noise when it was shaken.

"I think it's safe," Gowland whispered as he passed it to Alice. She took a deep breath and glanced at Boris before opening it. Inside was a huge bouquet of blood red roses and a cream-colored not on top. Alice grabbed the card and read it.

My sweetest Alice,

Your beauty exceeds the most gorgeous flower in Wonderland. Even these precious roses can't compare to you. Every second without your beautiful face is a stab in my heart, which longs for you every waking hour.

with my undivided love,

H

Alice frowned as she took out the flowers, realizing how perfect they were. They were in mid-bloom, their petals closed beautifully, the color was consistent with each other's, which bothered her. Even the scent of the roses were heavenly. Boris picked up the note from her hands and read it. He growled as he crumpled it up and threw it out the window. Alice shoved the bouquet violently back into the box and stuffed it into the trash can just outside. Gowland stood there amongst the silence, confused on what had happened.

"Hatter," Alice sneered as the owner nodded, understanding completely.

"I see. Someone oughta lock that maniac up soon," Gowland growled as he left again. Alice stood next to Boris, waiting for the next round of problems.


	8. Chapter 8

After the delivery, Boris had to clear his mind. He kissed Alice on the forehead before leaving her in the empty flat. She sighed and left herself. She thought of going to Vivaldi, but Peter would be there, too. Telling either of them of the recent events would ensure Hatter's death, and Madson didn't deserve to die. Alice contemplated of also going to Julius for a quick visit, but he wouldn't welcome her in the least.

Finally she decided to go into town for a bit. Maybe she could find a new cheap bookstore or even a new job. Sitting at the vacant apartment all day didn't sound like an exciting day to her. As she thought of how she could spender her empty time, she casually entered a small bookshop at the edge of the town. Alice walked into the bowels of the store to explore the shelves.

As Alice found an interesting fictional book, someone came in. She hardly heard the bell as she read the first few pages. Chills went up her spine as she turned the page. She glanced up and found Peter, looking around the store. Instinctively, she ducked and hid her face with the book, ignoring the rabbit.

"Aliiice? Are you ignoring me out of malice?" Peter whispered from outside the cover. Alice slowly lowered it, glaring at him in the process. His ears shot up in excitement, ecstatic that she wasn't ignoring him.

"Not exactly," she hissed as she stood up in front of him. Closing the book, she went to the clerk and quickly laid the money on the table, hardly waiting for the change. Peter followed her closely behind, clearly only entering the store to find Alice. She stopped halfway down the street, irritated by being stalked by the creeper. "Can I help you, Peter?"

"Just tell me why. Why you must marry this guy," he inquired as he grabbed her hand. Alice yanked it away, regretting leaving the empty room in the apartment.

"Because I love him, Peter. That's why. There isn't some conspiracy behind it. He isn't making me do it. We're not trying to anger anyone. Boris is an amazing guy and I am blessed to deserve a man that loves me as much as he does. I don't want to be with anyone else," Alice explained plainly as she clutched her book. Peter didn't move or say anything. He was purely shocked by her finality in the subject. Alice knew what she wanted, and it wasn't him.

"But how can this be? You're supposed to be with me," Peter complained as he looked at the ground. Alice backed away carefully, feeling the air grow cold. He turned on his heel and stalked away as Alice dashed back to the amusement park.

Alice had never seen Peter so upset and angry. Just recalling the moment sent shivers through her body. He may have gone back to the castle and shot who knows how many soldiers and servants. Tears came down her cheek as she realized just how many death she may have caused.

She made it to the entrance, but passed it. Alice didn't want comfort or someone telling her to get over the fact that she might have caused dozens of people to die. That she shouldn't care about the faceless. All she wanted to do was to bury her mind in the world of an unexplored book. To forget her issues and problems of reality. Or at least, she hoped it was reality. It was too long and personal for it only to be a dream.

After hours of calmly reading in the dense forest, midday turned to the early morning. Alice gasped as she jolted back into the real world. She closed the book and began her journey back, feeling much better than before.

She opened the apartment door, hoping to see Boris inside with a clear head. She searched the flat, but found no Boris. However, in the bedroom, a small present sat in the center. It remained untouched as it sat perfectly straight in the room. Alice cautiously approached it, almost afraid. She gently picked up the small box and read yet another card.

My darling Alice,

Words cannot begin to describe you caring and sweet nature. Nor can it be compared to any worldly things. You are one of a kind, Sweetheart.

With my unending love,

H

Alice growled quietly as she threw the card behind her. She opened the gift to reveal Huckleberry tea inside. She breathed in the sweet, tasty aroma, making her smile. She snapped open her eyes before closing the deceitful box. Alice wasn't about to be tricked by Madson's games. She placed the present back into the center of the room, hoping to show Boris later, and went back into the entryway.

Boris came back from his long walk and opened the door. As he entered his old home, he found Alice asleep in the corner. Grinning, he sat next to her and touched her cheek. She hardly noticed his touch as he stood back up to see if there was any food in the kitchen. On his way, he noticed a splash of color from the bedroom. Curious, he went to investigate.

He quickly picked up the note in the doorway and read it, nearly choking on his own vomit, before opening the little gift in the middle. As it opened, it released the sweet smell of huckleberries and honey. He closed the lid, the sickly aroma upsetting his stomach further. Then a deadly thought entered his mind. Alice had been out cold on the floor when he entered with the dangerous tea feet away. Boris dashed out of the room and shook Alice.

"Oh, God! Please wake up!" Boris muttered as he gently licked her face. He always did this to try and cheer her up. Alice usually laughed before push him away, suddenly embarrassed. As Boris backed away, she started to stir, giving Boris the signal to relax. "Thank God."

"Boris? When did you get here?" Alice smiled as she sat up. Boris sat across from her, relieved that she woke up.

"Just now. Are you okay?" he asked as she tilted her head.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why?"

"Well, I found the Hatter's little present and I thought that you had some. I didn't think anything of it until I remembered that you were unconscious on the floor. I thought he had drugged you or something," Boris replied, scared to death of the thought. Alice shook her head and grimaced, touching his ears lovingly.

"I'm fine. I got tired so I decided to take a nap. Since we don't have any furniture, I decided to sleep on the floor," Alice explained, comforting him. Boris smiled as she petted his ears. "Did you read the note?"

"That horribly disgusting one? Yeah, it made me nauseous," he winked as Alice giggled.

"That one, and I'm glad I'm not the only one that thought so," she said as she leaned against the back wall. Boris hadn't seen Alice so relaxed since the move. To see that she was so carefree and not stressed out, it was nice. "So, where did you go to clear your head?"

"Oh, just around the forest. I tried to get lost, but apparently I know the area too well. Before I knew it, I found myself at the Hatter mansion, so I stormed back into the forest and wandered back to the amusement park. I teased some of the workers, but then I got bored, so I came back. I actually feel loads better than I did before," Boris explained as Alice smiled, knowing that Boris would tease those workers until they had a heart attack if he didn't get bored so easily. "What have you been doing?"

"I went to a bookshop and got an interesting book, where I read for quite awhile under a tree before wandering back," she replied, skipping over her little encounter with Peter. Alice knew that Boris hated when other guys flirted with her, and she didn't want to mention her worries for the Queen's workers.

"What book is it?" Boris asked curiously. Alice told him about a boy that was orphaned as a young child and how he grew up on the streets. He stole money and food to survive until he was an adult.

"So far, he was just arrested. It's pretty interesting, though. I've never thought to pick a book like this before," she informed as she handed the book to him. He nodded as he carefully examined it.

"It's smaller than your usual books," he noted, panicking Alice a little. However, Boris just grinned as he returned the book. Boris touched her forehead, almost checking if she had a fever. She only stared, not moving away.

"What?" Alice implored as he removed his hand.

"Nothing, I guess. It really startled me to see you on the floor with the tea in the other room. Just wanted to double check to see if you were alright," Boris sighed as he kissed her cheek. Alice nodded, understanding his concern. It did look suspicious when the big picture is involved. She grabbed his hand and held it in her lap.

"I'm fine, just exhausted. I don't know if you noticed or not, but it's been a very long day," Alice huffed, trying to smile. Boris hung his head and laughed under his breath before standing up.

"Trust me, I've noticed," he winked as he pulled Alice up beside him. "So, I guess you don't want to go hang around the park?"

"Hmmm..." Alice thought as she grabbed his hand. "I'm sure I have a few hours of energy left." Boris smiled as they went to find their day of fun.


	9. Chapter 9

Weeks went by, still filled with strange Hatter gifts. In addition to the roses and tea, he sent Alice a new book, a fancy hat, and a necklace, describing her complexity, uniqueness, and elegance. Alice threw all of it away, but the necklace. She and Boris both sold it to the local jeweler for some extra money.

Finally, the day came for Boris and Alice to say their vows. When she woke up that morning, Boris had already left. He had left a note on the counter saying that he'd be waiting at the altar at the Town Hall. Vivaldi insisted on having the ceremony at the palace, but Alice thought it too extravagant.

After eating something small, she left for town to pick up her gown and went to the Town Hall. It was deserted, which she prefered. The less people to bombard her, the more time she had to get ready. She slipped into a side room, one that the mayor had put aside for her. Vivaldi was patiently waiting, but got up to embrace Alice when she came in.

"Oh, Alice, knowing that you'll be given to another conflicts us. We are happy you have found a nice man, but we also know that you won't have as much time visit us. You will visit us regularly, won't you?" The Queen begged as she stared into Alice's pale blue eyes.

"Of course. Just because I'm getting married doesn't mean that I'll be lock away," Alice pointed out as she hung up the dress on a nearby door. Vivaldi only nodded, seeming to doubt the idea. "I'll come as often as I do now. I promise."

"We will keep you to that promise, but now you must get ready, Vivaldi sighed as she grabbed the gown and gave it to Alice. She nodded as she went into the closet and changed into her gorgeous dress.

The dress was a perfect white, mostly made out of fine silk and intricate lacing down her back and capped her shoulders. On her head laid a little tiara with a cascading veil that covered her pale face. The skirt flared out a foot from her feet, the hem barely brushing the ground. Vivaldi gasped as Alice stepped out of the small changing room. She blushed, thinking that something was wrong with the dress.

"What's wrong? Does it look bad?" Alice asked frantically as she started to search her dress. The Queen rolled her eyes as she grabbed Alice's bouquet of blue roses off the table beside her.

"Of course not! We were admiring your beauty in that amazing dress," Vivaldi clarified as Alice went to look in the mirror. She marveled at the graceful dress and how she fit into it perfectly. Alice stood still, stunned at the sight, not believing that it was really her in the reflection. IF only her sister could see her now. She would've been so proud. "We told you."

"Y-yeah," Alice whispered as Vivaldi placed the flowers in her frozen hands. The blue tied the dress together as they also matched Alice's eyes. She took a deep breath, thinking about what this day awaited for her. Although it was nerve racking, it would be one of the most important days of her life. And the happiest, but something was off. She could feel something wrong in the air.

"Come on, let's get your hair done and get you out there," Vivaldi urged as Alice sat on a chair across from the full mirror. The Queen snapped her fingers before three or four maids came in to work on Alice's hair.

Boris waited outside the chapel area with Gowland, stressing out. He worried about leaving Alice alone, but he thought it would be cute to leave the note behind like he did. He kept straightening Gowland's bow tie, getting on the owner's nerves.

"Down, kitty. Calm down, will ya?" Gowland sighed as he smacked Boris's hand away from his tie for the third time. Gowland offered to be the minister to marry the couple, as why Boris was so stressed. He wanted everything to be absolutely perfect. The cat stepped away, embarrassed as well as nervous. "Boris, all will go as planned. There ain't some surprise waitin' for ya, and Alice is a tough lass. She can take care of herself."

"You're right, but I just want everything to be flawless. Alice is my world, and I want her to have everything, free from problems. No surprises," Boris explained as Gowland grabbed his shoulder.

"Nothin' ain't that perfect. There's always a wild card at play. If life were perfect, the world would be just plain boring," Gowland explained as Boris slumped. He knew very well that perfection didn't exist, but he still felt that Alice deserved it. "Let's get inside."

The ceremony continued immaculately, just how Boris had wished. The music played beautifully as Alice strode down the aisle. She looked like an angel that came down from heaven. She stood in front of Vivaldi, her maid of honor. The adults Dee and Dum gasped from behind Boris, stunned by Alice's beauty.

As Boris and Alice exchanged their vows and rings, the crowd applauded and cheered. Even Peter clapped slowly, at least pleased to see Alice happy and loved.

Afterward, the reception took place behind the amusement park. Tables and chairs with blue and purple decorations filled the field. The couple stood in front of their table as people came up to congratulate them.

To Alice's surprise, Nightmare showed up, but ended up hiding from Gray, his right hand man. Julius walked up just before he left, uncomfortable with the amount of people. Alice embraced him, making Boris bristle. Julius jumped, startled by the action.

"Thank you for everything, Julius. You've helped me out so much for the past two years. You're like an older brother," Alice whispered before straightening back up. Julius sighed and offered a half smile.

"You are a very strong woman," he chuckled before leaving for work. Alice sighed, realizing that she really had moved on. Ace came by next and teased her about marrying a cat, which nearly led to his death. Thankfully, Alice was able to stop Boris before any blood was spilt.

After Ace, Peter approached and shook Boris, giving him a formal declaration of his surrender. He looked at Alice for a moment before turning back to him.

"I have lost Alice, it seems. I only hope to meet another girl of my dreams," Peter muttered as he kissed her hand. She nodded once, relieved to be finally free of the creepy rabbit. Elliot came a bit later, but he seemed relaxed.

"Elliot!" Alice smiled as Elliot laughed. Boris grinned, remembering how the Hare was on their side.

"Hey you two. I'm glad Madson didn't get between you. I'm so very sorry about those little gifts. I caught him sending the last one, but it had already left before I could stop it. I'm just relieved that he didn't blow up the amusement park," the Hare explained as he shook Boris's hand.

"It's fine. We've been ignoring him," Alice laughed, making Elliot smile.

"Good," he whispered.

"Why don't you sit down? we're going to cut the cake in a moment," Alice suggested as she gave him a hug. He agreed and reluctantly sat by the twins.

After a few faceless congratulations, Boris took the knife and carefully sliced the cake for everyone. Then he handed Alice a piece and took a bite. As they were about to sit down, a strange hooded man came up behind them. Alice dropped her plate as the man took off his cloak. It was Madson. And he had a gun.

"Congratulations," he sneered as he shot at Boris, panicking the crowd.

"NO!" Alice screamed as she jumped into the path of the bullet. It hit her just below the collarbone above her heart. The dress started to turn red with her blood. Madson dropped his firearm in shock as he saw his plan backfired. Alice collapsed into Boris's arms, barely conscious.

"Alice," he whispered as Vivaldi quickly arrested the Hatter in her anger. Madson accepted his arrest, still staring at Alice. "Don't leave me."

"I need... a surgeon. A doctor. Something," Alice cried weakly, her shoulder slowly killing her painfully. Boris shook his head.

"Wonderland don't have those," he laughed as his tears fell on her dress. Her face hardened as an idea came to her.

"I need to go back. To Earth," she replied seriously as Boris looked at Nightmare. The dream demon came forth, with two vials.

"I was going to give these to you as a wedding present. This is the medicine you drank, Alice, when you first came here. If both of you drink it, you can get there," Nightmare explained as Boris snatched them away. "It's unlikely that you can ever come back."

"It's worth it if I can save her," Boris replied as Alice pulled him closer, reminding him of his ears and tail. He sighed as he grabbed Madson's hat and tucked his tail into his coat jacket. Gowland and Elliot came up and said their goodbyes as the twins bawled. Vivaldi touched Alice's forehead before kissing it, wishing her well. Ace kept his distance, shocked by the events. Peter wept silently, staying away from his dying Alice.

Boris drank the fluid as he gave it to Alice, too. He picked her up gently as he waved, slowly fading into nothing. Gowland hiccuped with sorrow as Elliot gave him a handkerchief, equally sad to see her leave after two years. Nightmare shed a tear and vomited blood, sick from the emotional turbulence. Everyone wondered if Wonderland would survive without the presence of their precious Alice.


	10. Chapter 10

As Alice slowly woke up, she found herself in her childhood room. She started to sit up, but the nurse softly pushed her back onto the pillow, telling Alice that she needed to lay down until the doctor came in. Alice froze as she laid her head down. There were no doctors in Wonderland. Boris told her that much. It was a moment before she realized that she was back in England. However, she only thought about the amusement park, the castle, Clock Tower, and even the Hatter mansion. It was all gone. She quickly looked around the room, searching for any sign that Boris was there. Her eyes watered as she knew that Boris wasn't there.

The doctor came in a few minutes later with a clipboard. Alice held in her sobs in her chest as no one followed in after him. The nurse left, having something better to do. He took off his lab coat as he brought out his medical bag. He checked her pulse, blood pressure, and temperature, finding nothing out of the ordinary. The doctor sat at the end of her bed, ready to give her some bad news.

"Alice Liddell. Do you know where you've been for the past week?" the doctor demanded. Alice shook her head as she questioned her sanity. Did the past two years in Wonderland actually happen? Did she meet those people? Get those strange gifts? Did she even get married to the man of her dreams? As she silently panicked, the doctor sighed. "Someone found you yesterday in the fields behind the mansion, unconscious. He brought you to the estate. Thank God, too. Since your older sister passed away, you're father has gone to the mental hospital and your younger sister is studying abroad. If you weren't here, there wouldn't be anyone to inherit the estate."

"That would have been a problem indeed," Alice whispered, realizing that Lorina had died only a few days ago. More tears came to her eyes as she figured out how her entire family fell apart instantly. None of that mattered, though. She needed to know what happened to Wonderland. The doctor stood again and grabbed his clipboard and coat.

"You're welcome to familiarize yourself with your home. You seem to have forgotten some things," he winked before he left. Alice only nodded as she sat up in her bed.

Alice dressed herself in her signature blue dress and started to look at her book collection. She had forgotten how extensive it was. They reminded her of Julius's and Madson's libraries, far more extensive than hers could ever be. Alice wiped her eyes before she dashed out of the room.

She continued down the spiral staircase as butlers and maids bustled around. Most of them gave her strange looks, questioning whether she could run such a large property. Alice overheard whispers about how she needed a husband to be truly happy in such a estate. She dashed out into the garden, where she and her older sister frequented every Sunday.

Alice touched her shoulder, finding that the bullet wound was no longer there. There was no evidence that anything had ever penetrated her skin. She sighed as she sat behind a hedge, wondering what she would do next. She had nothing here. Her family was scattered and she had no friends. In England, it was hard for a woman of her age and stature to get a job, so that was also out of the question. Alice could feel her world slowly crumbling around her.

Once the sun began to set, she went back inside, even if Alice wasn't used to the time changes. She even started to miss that, too, even though they were inconvenient most of the time. Once inside, the servants had already made her supper. She calmly sat down and quietly ate her soup by candlelight.

Alice began to climb the stairs to go to bed when the butler stopped her. He bowed deeply before speaking.

"Miss, you have a visitor," he announced as he led Alice into the sitting room. She was extremely curious to find who it was, but tried not to get her hopes up. She hoped for a Wonderlander to take her back, but she knew it was a better chance that it was a suitor that heard that she was awake again. Her estate was extensive and any man with half a brain would know that winning her heart was more than a good idea.

Alice walked into the room and a found a tall man with burgundy hair standing at the window. She pursed her lips as she knew it. This man was probably from down the street. He wore a tall top hat as his long hair cascaded in front of his left eye. He also sported a long tail coat and a nice suit that would make any young girl swoon. The man turned as she ventured further into the room and smiled graciously.

"Hello, Miss Liddell," he greeted as he kissed her hand. Alice said nothing, recognizing that smile from somewhere. Even his pale green eyes offered some familiarity.

"Aren't you supposed to talk off your hat in a lady's presence?" Alice replied, taking her hand out of his reach. The young man smiled again, making her jump.

"Miss, if I did so, you would definitely scream," the man countered as he took a step back. Alice narrowed her eyes, unsure of the character in front of her.

"Sir, what is your name?" she asked, having an impossible idea on this strange guy. He stared her for a moment, wondering if she would guess it. When Alice remained silent, he sighed and bowed slightly.

"Alice, my name is Boris. Boris Airay," he introduced himself. Alice jumped up to him and tore off his hat to reveal a pair of fluffy cat ears. She gasped as she ran into his arms. Boris was real after all. He had been all along. Boris stroked her back as Alice sobbed and sobbed, her emotions running high. Relief, surprise, and love mixed together as her despair vanished. "It's okay, Alice. I'm here now. I'm not going to leave you alone."

"I'm so happy you're here," Alice confessed as she kissed him. Boris smiled and returned the affection. Then Alice told him about the estate and her broken family. He remained calm as he took it all in. "What do we do?"

"We should stay here. I know that it wasn't our first choice, but now we have a nice furnished home, no Hatter, and a staff of servants. Besides, when we drank that medicine, it seemed to give me a heart, but it toned down my hair color and cleared my face of markings. I don't think we can go back," Boris explained calmly. Alice nodded once, vaguely remembering that important detail. They had no more connections after the one she and Boris broke.

"Then we'll stay here then, but we'll have to have another wedding ceremony. It seems that I lost my ring," Alice mentioned as she showed him her vacant hand.

"Yeah, about that. When we came, I had to tear you dress to shreds and took off your ring. That way it looked like someone had kidnapped you or something, so it would explain you sudden disappearance. Then I took you to the mansion so you would get treated, but it seemed that the bullet wound faded away. However, you ended up with a high fever," Boris explained as he reached into his coat pocket and brought out the small sapphire ring and slid it onto Alice's finger. "And I don't mind if we have to redo our wedding, but no guns. That's too dangerous."

"I agree. No guns," Alice whispered as she kissed his lips softly again. Boris placed the hat back on his head as they head for the kitchen for a little dessert.


End file.
